Following the recent SoT update video, where Joe Neate informed us that Arena would no longer be getting any further updates, it brought about the question of what will happen to the game mode, and the playerbase that still tries to play it. (Among other questions I am sure).
I have seen an uptick in thread providing suggestions about what could be done to revive the game mode, many pointing out the smaller player base, the general imbalanced game modes, the long wait times, and the general combat issues tied more specifically to arena. While I don't wish to call them fruitless, it is safe to say RARE has made there final decision regarding the game mode, if nothing else for the time being.
I admit this does not affect me so much. I am rarely played Arena even during its OG game mode, let alone its current form, mostly due to the current problems, and despised it during the "Courage" Event even more so, because it showcased how the progress of commendations is even more imbalanced due to the issues in Arena.
This however, brings me to a topic at hand. With Arena getting no further updates, and the overall player base not engaging in Arena, or at least not consistently, as well as the shift in focus being strictly on adventure; would it be possible to have some aspects of the Sea Dogs added to Adventure?
One of the things Sea dogs tried to solve in the early days of the game was PVP, but in an ironic fashion the Reapers Bones and Emissaries did this a lot better. I think Sea Dogs could have a place in Adventure. On the one hand most of their commendations focused on PVP, while Reapers bones focuses on stealing treasure through PVP, but otherwise offers no real reward for the PVP alone.
Sea Dogs could have progress tied to Adventure very simply:
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Killing players or sinking player ships, could increase your reputation in the Sea Dogs.
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Killing player or Sinking an absurd amount of players as a Pirate legend would unlock the Pirate Legend weapons, that are currently locked to Arena.
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Killing players or Sinking ships while not a Pirate Legend could lead to unlocking the Standard Sea Dog outfits.
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Killing players or sinking ships while wearing the Sea dog items or liveries would allow you to work towards unlocking the Triumphant Sea dog sets (which I point out the shovel works this way already in Adventure for Digging up chests).
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You could add an Emissary flag that could be tied to killing players, or sinking ships, as a Sea Dog, with bonuses tied to sinking Reapers.
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An Emissary Costume specific to the Sea dogs could be added for more cosmetic gold sinks.
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You could add a Voyage or emissary voyage that includes both the old and current Sea Dogs chest, which you can turn in to to the Sea dogs hide out, for Sea dogs rep. Heck you could even keep the sea dogs beacon on the current chest, while still having the old brown chests from before.
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You could also add the Sea Dog Arena Ships as cosmetics to the Ship dock store, allowing again for more diverse cosmetics items to players to purchase, and having more cosmetics for a gold sink.
The point is there are options to ensure that the Sea Dogs alliance, does not become forgotten in the overall lore and world of Sea of Thieves, and does not need to (with respect) keep it tied to an unsupported game mode, with a sadly ever growing smaller playerbase (no offense I'm just calling it as I see it). I mean lets face it the Sea Dogs Tavern needs to be marked on the Map, and needs to be used for more than just an outpost where you can at most, run through a platforming obstacle course. . . . .
In a strange fashion this might even peak interest to the Sea-Dogs Arena in the future, as newer players practice there PVP skills in Adventure through a more focused commendation set, and thus it could potentially revive the Arena later (though this is pure speculation).
IDK, its just some food for though. All I know is, my SoT experience is not affected by Arena being unsupported, but I have to acknowledge that in so doing, there are a number of commendations, and cosmetics that (in a fashion) are about to become that much harder to obtain and not for the reasons they should be. Plus it would at least make having a Sea Dog letter of Recommendation make sense in Adventure.
Thoughts?